Peace
by hotfruits
Summary: Tell me, Suzaku, do you love Lelouch? The little prince, the masked villian, do you love my brother?" can be assumed as Lelouch/Suzaku but could also be assumed as just friendship.


"It's like when we were kids," Suzaku turned towards Nunnally, a somber expression on his face as he held the mask of Zero in his hands, "Do you remember, Suzaku?"

Suzaku nodded, tears streaming down Nunally's cheeks, and yet she wore a smile on her face, a smile so similar to Euphemia's, eyes the same color as...

"It took awhile for brother and you to get along, but when you did, you became the best of friends," Nunnally tilted her head up towards Suzaku, "I can not lie, I was so jealous at first. There I was, Nunnally vi Britannia, blind to the world and disabled from the waist down, trapped in a world of darkness and bound to a chair for mobility," Suzaku frowned, casting his eyes away from the young princess, "And then we went to your home, Suzaku, and I could feel your energy, your liveliness and I was frightened that brother would abandon me, that useless lump of weight, for you."

"Lelouch would never-" Suzaku started but stopped, Nunnally blinking in confusion, continuing her story, "Yes, I figured that out. I have met a lot of people in my life, have been hurt by most of them, but never brother. Brother would sooner die than hurt me."

Suzaku coughed, choking on his silent tears.

"And you, Suzaku, you would also die before hurting me," Nunnally leaned forward and placed her hand on Suzaku's, the one covered in Lelouch's, now dried, blood, "I was so surprised, the first time brother and you included me in your games," Nunnally peered off to the side, recalling the distant memory, "I was the damsel in distress, tied up and captured by the evil pirate, Lelouch. You were my husband to be, the prince of Japan, who had to come and rescue me."

"Yes," Suzaku smiled, "I remember, I infiltrated Lelouch's base, and in order to rescue you, Lelouch and I had to battle," now Suzaku laughed, shaking his head, "When I hit Lelouch over the back with my bokken, gosh, he cried so much. I would've felt bad, if not for the fact that it was just so funny, especially the expression on his face when we saw the bruise the next morning."

Nunnally nodded, "You and Lelouch, the best of friends and the best of enemies. Two boys, so alike and yet so completely different. The black knight and the white knight. And yet, both symbols of peace," she spoke, moving her hand to graze the streak of blood on the mask, "Tell me, Suzaku, do you love Lelouch? The little prince, the masked villian, do you love my brother?"

Suzaku closed his eyes, remaining quiet for a moment. Did he love Lelouch, all sides of him? Or did he just love the little prince, the innocent vice-president of the school council?

"I love Lelouch Lamperouge, but I don't think I love Lelouch vi Britannia. That man, the one who hid behind the mask, was not my best friend; but the boy who gambled with Rivalz and made Shirley fall hopelessly in love, that boy was my best friend, my everything."

Nunnally nodded, "I understand your feelings, but after seeing the truth, I can not agree," Suzaku pulled back when the young princess locked eyes with him, "When brother's body slid down that slope and stopped right before me, a part of me was so happy. Here was the emperor, the dictator and destroyer of worlds, the murderer of my siblings and my father, the controller of an evil geass...and yet, when I touched his hand, I saw all," she looked away from Suzaku and down at their hands, "The day Lelouch's life changed forever, when he met C.C. by accident and obtained the geass. Killing my brother Clovis, establishing the his name as Zero and the Black Knights. The double life he had to keep, lying to everyone except C.C." Nunnally sniffled, bringing her free hand to her eye, "I feel so bad for brother, for what happened to Euphy."

Suzaku gasped and stepped away from Nunnally, looking at her in shock, "What!?" he screamed at her, "He destroyed Euphy!"

Nunnally nodded, "That may be so, but not on purpose. Lelouch was explaining to Euphy the power of geass, how we could make anyone do anything, could even make Euphy kill all the Japanese," Nunnally sighed, "Brother jokingly said it, but the power of his geass took over and gave the command. He tried to stop her, but he knew he couldn't, and decided to use Euphy to his full extent. By killing the massacre princess," Suzaku cringed, "Brother gave people hope."

"Is that why...the contacts?" Suzaku asked and Nunnally nodded, "He lost control of his geass."

Dropping the mask, Suzaku fell to his knees and, letting go of everything, cried. He cried for Euphy, for Nunnally, and all other Britannians that were destroyed by Zero, Lelouch. He cried for the Japanese, who lost not just their identity, but their hope, too. But most of all, he cried of Lelouch, his best friend, his best enemy.

Nunnally brushed her tears aside and tumbled out of her chair, crawling towards Suzaku. Kneeling up, she embraced the knight and kissed his forehead, "Suzaku, tell me about Rolo. Was he good to brother?"

Suzaku shrugged, wrapping his arms around Nunnally's waist, "My brother didn't care much for him, but Rolo was so dedicated to Lelouch. He reminds me of myself, that unwavering loyalty, although I did betray brother in his final hours. Rolo never did; he sacrificed everything, his safety and his life, for brother. It was Rolo that killed Shirley."

Suzaku snapped back, his tearful eyes meeting Nunnally's, "He killed Shirley so that she could not bring Lelouch down. Brother felt so bad for her father's death," Nunnally smiled, "He loved her so much."

Suzaku nodded, "But, he didn't love her as much as he loved you, Suzaku. Brother created Zero not just for me, but for you, too. To create a world where you and I, Britannian and Japanese, could live in peace with each other. And look around," Nunnally pointed to the mask, "He did it. Lelouch Lamperouge has liberated the world."

"Suzaku, you asked brother many times, why did he cast that geass upon you. Do you still want to know?" Nunnally asked.

_"I...no, I can't do it!" Suzaku shouted, throwing the mask to the floor, "I can't kill you, Lelouch!"_

_Lelouch sighed, cocking his hip to the side as he asked, "Why not? You've longed for this, to conquer Zero, to kill Euphemia's murderer."_

_"Zero is but a symbol," Suzaku muttered, "And...yes, I bdid/b want to kill you, but not anymore. Dammit Lelouch," Suzaku's shoulders began to shake as he cried, "Why can't you just be a good emperor? Be the man we need you to be, not this, this, dictator!"_

_"Suzaku, we both know that that would never work," Lelouch said, bending down to pick the mask off the floor, "It has to be this way," he finished, holding the mask for Suzaku to take._

_"Why me then?" Suzaku looked into Lelouch's eyes, "Zero is just a symbol, cast your geass upon some guard and tell them to kill you!"_

_Lelouch smiled sadly and stepped towards his friend, embracing him in a gentle hug, "Zero isn't just a symbol, he's also a man who strives for peace. I can trust you, Suzaku Kururugi, to protect Nunnally, and to create a world of peace."_

_"Yes, your majesty," Lelouch laughed at this and pulled away from the hug, smiling at Suzaku with warmth, "I am not your majesty, Suzaku, just your best friend who asks the impossible of you."_

_Suzaku took the mask, "Everything about our relationship has always been impossible, Lelouch."_

"That's okay," Suzaku smiled, grabbing the mask and putting it on, helping Nunnally back into her chair. He grabbed the handlebars to push her but stopped when she turned around, violet eyes on his, "Can I ask you again, Suzaku, do you love my brother?"

"Can you ask, or may you ask?" Suzaku questioned and Nunnally just rolled her eyes, turning back around with a proud smile on her face.


End file.
